|
Carbo Loading - Men vs. Women |
|
|
(editor's note: Thanks to Coach Rhonda, USA Cycling Coach for providing this article on carbo loading differences for men vs. women).
Welcome! If you plan on riding the "Big Nasty" at the Moab Century Tour or if hills aren't for you and you are signed up for the "Rolling 66" mile route, you'll want to train in plenty of time to cycle the event with energy to spare. I invite you to read this article on how carbohydrates and their affect on your training schedule differs based on gender. Some of the information is provided by Powerbar. See you in Moab. -Rhonda
Carbo Loading - Men vs. Women; Different Hormones, Different Fuel Mix
According to Mark Tarnopolsky, MD, PhD, at McMaster University Medical Center in Canada, men and women differ in the type of fuel they burn as energy for muscle contraction during endurance exercise. For everyone, the major energy sources for endurance exercise are carbohydrate and lipid (or fat). However, in an analysis of 16 different studies, Tarnopolsky determined that women derived 41% of their energy from lipid and 56% from carbohydrate, whereas men burned 29% of their energy from lipid and 65% from carbohydrate.
The reason for the difference? The female hormone estrogen. Estrogen increases the activity of enzymes involved in metabolizing lipids. Tarnopolsky believes that higher levels of estrogen in women translate to proportionally more fat burned during exercise compared to men and less reliance on glycogen (carbohydrate) stored in the muscle and liver.
Take-home Advice: When it comes to carbo-loading, what works for men won't necessarily work for women.
[read more ... ]
Rhonda Cowern
USA Cycling Level 2 certified coach 970-596-5470
The Edge Coaching office hours:
Tue/Thur (2:30pm-6:30pm) MST
Sunday (1-5pm) MST
Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. Powered by AkoComment 2.0.3! |
